Telephone mounting



Dec. 11, 1951 I E. E. MOTT TELEPHONE MOUNTING 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 28, 1949 INVENTOR 6E. M077 A 7TORNEV Dec. 11, 1951 E. E. Mo r'r TELEPHONE MOUNTING 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 28, 1949 lNl ENTOR E. E. MOTT ATTORNEY Dec. 11, 1951 o'r'r 2,578,357

TELEPHGNE ma num Filed July 28, 1949 Y I 3 Sheets-Sheet s a 3 5 3 Z} k za 1 l I l l I I l l I FREQUENCY [H.CYCLES PER SECOND INVENTOR y E. E. MOTT A TTQRNEV Patented Dec. 11, 1951 TELEPHONE MOUNTING Edward E. Mott, Upper Montclair, N. J asslgnor to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 28, 1949, Serial No. 107,300

8 Claims. (Cl. 181-31) This invention relates to telephone substation apparatus and more particularly to hand telephone mountings of the type, such as disclosed in the application, Serial No. 49,570, filed September 16, 1948 of C. L. Krumreich, now Patent No. 2,566,840, issued September 4, 1951, having substation instrumentalities including a station signal therein.

' One general object of this invention is to provide an improved station signal in telephone substation apparatus. More specifically, one object of this invention is to provide, in a hand telephone mounting, a loudspeaker type station signal device having a high output level over a band of low frequencies and efiiciently responsive at higher frequencies to produce a harmonically enriched calling signal.

In one illustrative embodiment of this invention, a hand telephone mounting comprises a housing and a base and substation instrumentalities including a loudspeaker type station signal mounted on the base, the station signal including an electro-acoustic translating unit and a horn coupled thereto and having its mouth opposite an apertured portion in the base. The base has thereon supporting members or feet which space the mounting from the surface, such as the top of a desk, table or shelf, upon which the mounting is supported. Such surface and the base in combination define a passageway constituting an extension of the horn.

Because of limitation of the size of the mounting and the small space available within it, the horn of the station signal necessarily is of small dimensions. Consequently, the mouth area and length of the horn which can be employed are limited and inherent restriction obtains upon the low frequency response which can be realized by design of the horn alone.

In accordance with one feature of this invention, the housing is constructed and arranged to define an acoustic network associated with the station signal and effective to substantially enhance the low frequency response of the signal and produce a substantially optimum response over desired frequency ranges. More specifically, the housing is provided with an apertured portion spaced from the apertured portion in the base opposite the horn mouth and constituting an acoustic impedance having a mass reactance component which together with the low stiffness of the air in the chamber within the housing is resonant at a preassigned low frequency. Also the housing and base are associated to provide a restricted opening spaced from both the apertured portions and serving to regulate the distribution between these two portions of the flow of sound from the station signal. Further, in accordance with a feature of this invention, the horn is associated with the base to provide another restricted opening, this opening having prescribed acoustic impedance such as to effect a broadening of the fundamental resonance of the acoustic system including the loudspeaker and to increase the efficiency of this system.

The invention and the above-mentioned and other features thereof will be understood more clearly and fully from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view partly in section of a hand telephone mounting illustrative of one embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with certain of the substation instrumentalities omitted and details of the acoustic network associated with the station signal shown;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the electroacoustic translating unit included in the station signal in the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the horn included in this station signal;

Fig. 5 is a graph illustrating typical response characteristics of station signals constructed in accordance with this invention; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a modification of the embodiment of this invention shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the hand telephone mounting illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a rectangular base I0 and a housin fitted over the base and having a sloping front wall ll, side walls each of which terminates in a pair of tines l2 to define a cradle for receiving the hand telephone, and a rear wall I3 the upper portion of which extends inwardly between parts of the side walls. The rear wall l3 has therein a multiapertured insert 3|, covered with a protective fabric 32 for excludin foreign particles, extending below an overhanging portion M of the front wall in the cradle part of the mountin and defining a fingers receiving recess l 5 such as disclosed in Patent 2,096,046 granted October 19, 1937 to J. J. Kuhn and G. L. Lum. Extending into the housing and between each pair of tines I2 is a plunger It for actuating a contact spring assembly H, the plungers and springs being coupled by a lever structure l8.

Mounted upon the base 10 are the substation instrumentalities, such as a unitary electrical network element l9 and a dial 213, the latter being supported from the base by brackets 2|. Also mounted upon the base H3 is a loudspeaker type station signal which comprises an electroacoustic transducer 22 and a horn 23.

The transducer 22, which may be of the construction disclosed in the application, Serial No. 755,397, filed June 18, 1947 of R. E. Wirsching, now Patent 'No. 2,506,624, issued May 9, 1950, comprises, as shown in Fig. 3, an annular magnetic armature 24 seated at its periphery upon a support 25 and having its inner margin between the juxtaposed poles of an annular pole-piece 26 and cup-shaped magnet 21. The armature mounts a diaphragm member "28, for example dome-shaped as illustrated in Fig. 3. having in juxtaposition thereto a throat member :29 to which the throat section 30 of the horn 23 is coupled.

The horn 23, as illustrated in Fig. 4, is of folded form and of generally rectangular cross-section. Advantageously, the horn passageway increases in area exponentially from .the throat to the mouth thereof. The parameters of this passageway are correlated in ways known in the art so that the horn is capable of transmitting sound waves eihciently within a prescribed band of frequencies.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, in use the mounting is supported upon a desk, table or shelf 33 being spaced from the upper surface thereof by legs 34 aflixed to the base Iii. The base IB is provided with an annular raised portion 35 in juxtaposition to a bell part 35 at the mouth of the horn 23 and spaced therefrom to provide an annular passageway. The mouth of the horn is opposite a multiapertured portion 31 in the base l and has extending thereacross a membrane 48, for example of polyethylene for preventing ingress of foreign particles into the horn and to the transducer 22.

The support 33 and base In define a passageway which may be considered as an extension of the horn 23 the dimensions of the passageway being made such advantageously that the transverse area thereof increases exponentially in the same manner as the passageway in the horn. A portion of the sound waves propagated by the horn 2.3 emanate through the apertures Si in the baseportion opposite the mouth of the horn and these waves pass either to the atmosphere by way of the exit opening indicated atEi or through a restricted passageway S2 in the interior of the housing, the passageway S2 extending all around the base is and being defined by the flange .on the base and the juxtaposed wall of the housing. Another portion of the sound waves traversing the horn pass into the interior of the housing through the annular passageway S3 defined by the juxtaposed portions 35 and .36 of the base and horn respectively and thence outwardly through the apertures S4 in the insert 3| as indicated at exit E2.

The passageways S2, S3 and E4 together with the volume of air within thehousingconstitute 1.65

an acoustic network coupled to the horn 23. The effect of the elements of thisnetwork will be understood most readily from aconsideration of Fig. 5. In this figure, curve A depicts the output of the loudspeaker station signal asmeasured by curve B the effect of the passageways S2 and. S4 is to substantially enhance the response at the low frequency end of the range and to make the response at higher frequencies more uniform. Specifically, the enhancement of the response at the low frequencies results from the resonance of the mass of air in the passageway S4 with the stiffness of the chamber within the housing, and the passageway S2 functions to regulate the distribution of the how of sound between the outlets El and E2. At the lower frequencies the enhanced response is due predominantly to the passageway S4. At the higher frequencies, because of the impedance introduced by the passageway S2, the major portion of the sound output is by way of the opening E1.

Curve C in Fig. 5 illustrates the effect of the passageway S3. Particularly, it will be noted that this passageway results in further enhancement of the response at the low frequency end of the range, a broadening of the fundamental resonance and a smoothing of the response at the high frequency end of the range.

The improved response obtained by the several passageways above noted will be dependent, of course, in any particular case upon the specific parameters of these passageways. In a typical and illustrative device wherein the base I!) was approximately 7.20inches by 4.77 inches and the loudspeaker unit was designed to have a resonance at about 509 cycles the improvements depicted by curves B and C in Figs. 5 are realized with thepassageway 52 inch wide by inch long, the passageway S3 5 inch wide by inch long by 7.20 inches in circumferential length, the passageway .Si constituted by 24.- to 27 quarter inch diameter holes in the insert 3 i, and a volume of 831 cc. for the chamber within the housing.

In the embodiment of this invention illustrated in Fig. 6, the mouth of the horn bears against the base iii opposite the apertured por ticn 37 therein and the housing l l is fitted around the peripheral flange on the base Hi. The equivalent of the passageway S3 in Fig. 2 is provided by a multiplicity of apertures ME in the base IE] and adjacent the bell portion 36 of the horn. The equivalent of the passageway S is provided by a second multiplicit of apertures 4| in the base ill and adjacent the periphery thereof.

The intensity of the signal produced by the loudspeaker may be regulated as by a rheostat 33 in series with the signal coil of the transducer 22 and adjustable by a finger wheel 39 adjacent and below the base 55. Alternatively, the signal intensity may be controlled by the provision of a shutter over the apertured portion 3! of the base IE}.

Although specific embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are but illustrative and that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A telephone mounting comprising a having an apertured portion, a housing on said base having an apertured. spaced from said first apertured portion, a loudspeaker station signal device within said housing and including a horn having its mouth opposite and parallel to said first apertured portion, and means defining a restricted acoustic passageway between the interior and exterior of said housing adjacent the periphery of said base.

2. .A telephone mounting in accordance with 5 claim 1 comprising means defining a second restricted acoustic passageway coupling the mouth of said horn to the interior of said housing.

3. A telephone mounting comprising a base having an apertured portion, a housing on said base, a loudspeaker station signal device within said housing and including a, horn having its mouth opposite, parallel to and encompassing said first apertured portion, and means defining an acoustic network coupled to said horn for enhancing the low frequency response of said station signal device, said means including an apertured member in a wall of said housing and having acoustic mass reactance resonant with the air chamber within said housing at the low frequency end of the range of response of said station signal.

4. A telephone mounting comprising a base having an apertured portion, a housing on said base having an apertured portion spaced from said first apertured portion, a loudspeaker station signal device within said housing and including a horn having its mouth opposite and parallel to said first apertured portion, said housing having a portion encompassing said base and spaced therefrom to define a restricted acoustic passageway.

5. A telephone mounting in accordance with claim 4 wherein the mouth of said horn is in proximity to the inner surface of said base and spaced therefrom to define a second restricted acoustic passageway.

6. A telephone mounting comprising a base having an apertured portion, a housing on said base having an apertured portion spaced from said first apertured portion, a loudspeaker station signal device within said housing and including a horn having its mouth opposite and parallel to said first apertured portion, said hous ing being fitted to the periphery of said base and said base having therein a plurality of apertures adjacent its periphery.

7. A telephone mounting in accordance with claim 6 wherein the mouth of said horn bears against the inner surface of said base and said base has therein a plurality of apertures adjacent and outside of the periphery of said mouth.

8. A telephone mounting comprising a base having an apertured portion, support means on the exterior of said base, a housing encompassing said base and having its inner wall spaced from the periphery thereof to define a restricted acoustic passageway, said housing including an apertured Wall portion remote from said base and defining acoustic mass resonant at a prescribed frequency with the air chamber within said housing, and a loudspeaker station signal device within said housing and including a horn having its mouth opposite and parallel to said first apertured portion, said base and horn having juxtaposed spaced portions defining a second restricted acoustic passageway coupling said chamber to said mouth, and said prescribed frequency being within the response range of said station signal device.

EDWARD E. MO'IT.

REFERENCES CITED The fOllOWiIlg references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 35 Number Name Date 2,392,321 Hersey Jan. 8, 1946 2,441,425 Lawrence -2 May 11, 1948 

